Wow! The 2020-21 Cal Football-Basketball Seasons Were Historically Awful
With apologies to Charles Dickens, these are simply the worst of times.
Since the 21st century began, Cal has never endured a school year where the combined performance of the football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams was so disappointing.
Yes, the Golden Bears excel on other athletic fronts, including in many Olympic sports. But football and men’s and women’s basketball are the high-profile sports, the three that a majority of people care most about, frankly.
And Cal fell flat in all three this year.
The Bears’ football team, projected to finish second in the Pac-12 North, was 1-3 and missed out on playing in a third straight bowl game.
Men’s basketball, modestly picked to finish 10th in the conference, regressed in coach Mark Fox’s second season, winning just nine games overall and finishing last in the Pac-12.
The Bears’ women were picked ninth in the media poll, 10th in the coaches poll. They also landed in 12th place, winning just a single game all season.
Add ‘em up and the Bears won just 11 games in those three sports, just five in 37 Pac-12 tries. Their combined winning percentage in conference games in football and basketball is gruesome — .135.
Of course, there are reasons for all of this, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic and its tangle of complications, including the loss of off-season and preseason training. And on game days, Cal had no fans at Memorial Stadium or Haas Pavilion.
Cal’s football team played without offensive and defensive linemen at times because of quarantine and other protocols, and the Bears also had four games canceled.
The men’s basketball team played seven games without top scorer Matt Bradley due to a pair of separate ankle injuries, and starting forward Grant Anticevich underwent an emergency appendectomy.
Cal’s women had even more severe health issues, losing three potential starting guards for the entire season because of injury.
So, absolutely, the fallout from the pandemic and other factors beyond the teams' control had impact on the Bears.
Still, at no time during this century have the Bears had such a rough time in these three sports.
Here's a look at how Cal's performance in the there sports compared to that of its Pac-12 rivals.
The 2010-11 academic year was the only other time this century Cal failed to play in a bowl game or the NCAA tournament. Even that year those teams were competitive, just not exceptional.
A year later, in 2011-12, Cal made it to the postseason in all three sports for the third time in six years.
For Justin Wilcox’s football program, 2020 feels more like a blip than the start of a downward trend. The Bears should be quite competitive next fall.
Without Bradley, who has transferred to San Diego State, the men’s basketball team will be young and challenged to score. Charmin Smith’s team figures to be healthier, but has a steep climb in the nation’s toughest women’s basketball conference.
Here’s how the Bears have fared each year since the 21st century began (Postseason reflects bowl or NCAA tournament appearances):
2020-21
Football (Justin Wilcox):1-3 overall, 1-3 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Mark Fox): 9-20, 3-17
Women’s basketball (Charmin Smith): 1-16, 1-12
Combined overall winning percentage: .220 (11-39)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .135 (5-32)
Postseason: None.
Evan Weaver was a consensus All-American in 2019
2019-20
Football (Justin Wilcox): 8-5 overall, 4-5 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Mark Fox): 14-18, 7-11
Women’s basketball (Charmin Smith): 12-19, 3-15
Combined overall winning percentage: .447 (34-42)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .311 (14-31)
Postseason: Football
Kristine Anigwe and Asha Thomas played in 3 NCAA tournaments
Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics
2018-19
Football (Justin Wilcox): 7-6 overall, 4-5 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Wyking Jones): 8-23, 3-15
Women’s basketball (Lindsay Gottlieb): 20-13, 9-9
Combined overall winning percentage: .455 (35-42)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .422 (16-29)
Postseason: Football, women’s basketball
2017-18
Football (Justin Wilcox): 5-7 overall, 2-7 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Wyking Jones): 8-24, 2-16
Women’s basketball (Lindsay Gottlieb): 21-11, 11-7
Combined overall winning percentage: .447 (34-42)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .333 (15-30)
Postseason: Women’s basketball
2016-17
Football (Sonny Dykes): 5-7 overall; 3-6 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Cuonzo Martin): 21-13, 10-8
Women’s basketball (Lindsay Gottlieb): 20-14, 6-12
Combined overall winning percentage: .575 (46-34)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .350 (14-26)
Postseason: Women’s basketball
Jared Goff broke nearly every Cal passing record
2015-16
Football (Sonny Dykes): 8-5 overall, 4-5 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Cuonzo Martin): 23-11, 12-6
Women’s basketball (Lindsay Gottlieb): 15-17, 4-14
Combined overall winning percentage: .582 (46-33)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .444 (20-25)
Postseason: Football, men’s basketball
2014-15
Football (Sonny Dykes): 5-7 overall, 3-6 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Cuonzo Martin): 18-15, 7-11
Women’s basketball (Lindsay Gottlieb): 24-10, 13-5
Combined overall winning percentage: .595 (47-32)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage .511 (23-22)
Postseason: Women’s basketball
2013-14
Football (Sonny Dykes): 1-11 overall, 0-9 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Mike Montgomery): 21-14, 10-8
Women’s basketball (Lindsay Gottlieb): 22-10, 13-5
Combined overall winning percentage: .557 (44-35)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .511 (23-22)
Postseason: Women’s basketball
Lindsay Gottlieb directed the Bears to the 2013 Final Four
Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics
2012-13
Football (Jeff Tedford): 3-9 overall, 2-7 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Mike Montgomery): 21-12, 12-6
Women’s basketball (Lindsay Gottlieb): 32-4, 16-1
Combined overall winning percentage: .691 (56-25)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .682 (30-14)
Postseason: Men’s and women’s basketball
2011-12
Football (Jeff Tedford): 7-6 overall, 4-5 in Pac-12
Men’s basketball (Mike Montgomery): 24-10, 13-5
Women’s basketball (Lindsay Gottlieb): 25-10, 12-5
Combined overall winning percentage: .683 (56-26)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .659 (29-15)
Postseason: Football, men’s and women’s basketball.
2010-11
Football (Jeff Tedford): 5-7 overall, 3-6 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Mike Montgomery): 18-15, 10-8
Women’s basketball (Joanne Boyle): 18-16, 6-9
Combined overall winning percentage: .519 (41-38)
Combined Pac-12 winning percentage: .452 (19-23)
Postseason: None
Mike Montgomery led Cal to its first conference title in 50 years
Photo by Kyle Terada, USA Today
2009-10
Football (Jeff Tedford): 8-5 overall, 5-4 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Mike Montgomery): 24-11, 13-5
Women’s basketball (Joanne Boyle): 24-13, 11-7
Combined overall winning percentage .658 (56-29)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .644 (29-16)
Postseason: Football, men’s basketball
2008-09
Football (Jeff Tedford): 8-5 overall, 5-4 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Mike Montgomery): 22-11, 11-7
Women’s basketball (Joanne Boyle): 27-7, 13-3
Combined overall winning percentage: .713 (57-23)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .674 (29-14)
Postseason: Football, men’s and women’s basketball.
2007-08
Football (Jeff Tedford): 7-6 overall, 3-6 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Ben Braun): 17-16, 6-12
Women’s basketball (Joanne Boyle): 27-7, 14-3
Combined overall winning percentage: .638 (51-29)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .523 (23-21)
Postseason: Football, women’s basketball.
Jeff Tedford coached the Bears to 82 victories and 8 bowl games
2006-07
Football (Jeff Tedford): 10-3 overall, 7-2 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Ben Braun): 16-17, 6-12
Women’s basketball (Joanne Boyle): 23-9, 11-6
Combined overall winning percentage: .628 (49-29)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .545 (24-20)
Postseason: Football, women’s basketball
Marshawn Lynch rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons
Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics
2005-06
Football (Jeff Tedford): 8-4 overall, 4-4 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Ben Braun): 20-11, 12-6
Women’s basketball (Joanne Boyle): 19-12, 10-8
Combined overall winning percentage: .635 (47-27)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .591 (26-18)
Postseason: Football, men’s and women’s basketball.
Aaron Rodgers has become one of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks
Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics
2004-05
Football (Jeff Tedford): 10-2 overall, 7-1 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Ben Braun): 13-16, 6-12
Women’s basketball (Caren Horstmeyer): 13-18, 4-14
Combined overall winning percentage: .500 (36-36)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .386 (17-27)
Postseason: Football
2003-04
Football (Jeff Tedford): 8-6, 5-3 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Ben Braun): 13-15, 9-9
Women’s basketball (Caren Horstmeyer): 13-18, 4-14
Combined overall winning percentage: .466 (34-39)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .409 (18-26)
Postseason: Football
Joe Shipp averaged 20.4 points as a senior in 2003
Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics
2002-03
Football (Jeff Tedford): 7-5 overall, 4-4 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Ben Braun): 22-9, 13-5
Women’s basketball (Caren Horstmeyer): 12-19, 6-14
Combined overall winning percentage: .554 (41-33)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .500 (23-23)
Postseason: Men’s basketball
2001-02
Football (Tom Holmoe): 1-10 overall, 0-8 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Ben Braun): 23-9, 12-6
Women’s basketball (Caren Horstmeyer): 8-22, 3-17
Combined overall winning percentage: .438 (32-41)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .326 (15-31)
Postseason: Men’s basketball
2000-01
Football (Tom Holmoe): 3-8 overall, 2-6 in Pac-10
Men’s basketball (Ben Braun): 20-11, 11-7
Women’s basketball (Caren Horstmeyer): 14-15, 8-9
Combined overall winning percentage: .521 (37-34)
Combined Pac-10 winning percentage: .458 (22-26)
Postseason: Men’s basketball
Cover photo of Haas Pavilion courtesy of Cal Athletics
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
